An Unexpected Birthday Gruvia one-shot
by sailorasami
Summary: Will Juvia spend her birthday with the man of her dreams?


The Fairy Tail guild, was at a point filled with new and old members alike, yet possessed a temporary lull. As the hour of midnight came to a close, the early morning hours loomed in the foreground as if waiting for the chaos to begin. Juvia drowsily perched herself in the moonlight, patiently sitting watch over the guild hall. All members had to take the night shift at least once or twice a month; prior to Phantom Lord's attacks, Macarov would merely lock it up at night. Now, unlucky members lazily bid their time away in order to ensure the safety of the hall.

"I cannot believe I am wasting my birthday this way," Juvia let out a sigh. "If only I had had Gray here to keep me company, I would be content." Her voice trailed off into the void. Whenever she was bored or tired, her brain would instantly focus on Gray. Yes, he was cold to her at times, yet she remained hopeful and vigilant, for she knew that he would accept her love eventually. She knew in her heart that the man she loved was kind, and filled with remarkable character traits that he rarely bragged about. He possessed a motivation that amazed her, and despite his lack of emotional depth, he had a set of morals and values that she could relate to. He was perfect to her, the way his dark hair contrasted with his pale skin, and the way his element of ice matched perfected with his stoic persona. Juvia would put her life on the line in order to protect him until the bitter end.

"Juvia…?" A masculine silhouette crept through the front doors of the hall. She was startled, but calmness washed over her at the sound of her own name.

"W-Who is it?"

"It's Gray." He was fully dressed, surprisingly." I thought that tonight was my shift." He looked at her almost lazily and as smug as ever. She took no mind to his pseudo-condescending nature.

"Oh, I must have misread the board" she pressed a finger to her lip. Nervously, she began twirling the blue strands of her hair between her thumb and index finger. 'How embarrassing…' It was inconceivable to her that her beloved Gray would misread the board, so she immediately took the fall.

"It's alright, you can stay and keep me company if you have nothing else to do," he shrugged. He was hard to read most of the time, but an invitation like this was as rare and beautiful as sunshine in her eyes.

"Of course I will stay!" Her cheeks tinted with deep rose as she spoke, "I-I mean, okay, sure."

He knew she was nervous to be around him, yet ignored her plight as usual. Juvia was a beautiful, articulate girl of above average intelligence. He resented the fact that her eyes glazed over at the sound of his name, and was not interested in being the embodiment of all her romantic desires. In his mind, love was simple and kind, not a page out of a harlequin novel. He had a cold demeanor, despite his lack of showing it, he did care for her. If not, he would not have bothered to spend time with her at all. If only she could see the logic in his actions, instead of being so flustered and frivolous in her approach. Even despite her faults, he wanted to see her happy, so he humored her.

"How's the night treating you? See any potential enemies afoot?" The way he smirked always drove her wild.

"No, no monsters in sight at all. Although, tonight is my birthday, so perhaps luck is on my side." Her movements were loose as she swayed from left to right in bliss. "I am so glad that you are here to share my birthday with me, Gray." Eyelashes fluttering and her face ablaze with natural blush, he couldn't help but find her cute.

He touched her shoulder in endearment, causing her to have an inner melt down; her emotional condition skyrocketing at the pressure of his hand on her skin alone.

"Happy Birthday," he smiled. "I'm here for you, Juvia." For a fraction of a second their eyes locked, and it was almost too intense for her. She could feel the force between them, a few inches of space felt like miles to her. If only she could just find the courage to reach out a little farther, all of her dreams would be realized.

"I will be here for you too, always."


End file.
